Machine for driving posts



Nov. 3, 1964 E. J. FRANDSON 3,155,173

MACHINE FOR DRIVING POSTS Filed Aug. 12, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2 25

Eugene J Franc/son 1N VEN TOR.

Fig.5 20 I46 BY 9mm WWW/y Em Nov. 3, 1964 E. J. FRANDSON 3,155,173

MACHINE FOR DRIVING POSTS Filed Aug. 12, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eugene J H'andson 1N VEN TOR.

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Wynn 3% United States Patent O 3,155,173 MACHINE FUR DRJWING FGSTS Eugene J. Frandson, Ross, N. Daft. Filed Aug. 12, 1360, Ser. No. 49,229 tllaims. (El. 173-37) This invention relates to a device for driving posts into the ground and more particularly to an attachment for tractors powered by the tractor power take-off to effect its post driving operations.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a novel attachment for tractors or other type vehicles adapted to be utilized as a post driver.

Another object of this invention in accordance with the foregoing object, is to provide a post driving mechanism subject to the selective control of an operator for driving of posts into the ground in an efficient manner.

In accomplishing the objects of this invention, a frame assembly may be attached to the front of a tractor type vehicle and may be removably anchored to the ground at the location adjacent a post which is to be driven into the ground. A slide member having a Weight thereon is slidably mounted on the frame assembly and disposed above the post after the frame assembly has been anchored adjacent thereto. A cable mechanism is attached to the slide member for the purposes of raising and lowering it on the frame assembly. The cable mechanism may be raised or lowered by increasing or decreasing the effective length of the cable in order to adjust the position of the slide so as to accommodate posts of varying height, Also, the cable may be periodically raised and permitted to drop under the weight of the slide so as to drive the post into the ground. Accordingly, a cable winding drum is mounted on the frame assembly so as to reel in or reel out any desired length of cable when adjusting the position of the post driving slide. Also, a cam mechanism is provided on the frame assembly which engages the cable mechanism so as to raise the slide thereby and then permit it to drop under its weight. Both the cable winding drum mechanism and the cam mechanism are driven from a common source of power taken off any suitable motive power source on the tractor, the drive connection being disengageable by means of a belt tightener mechanism so as to effect drive of either the cable winding drum or cam mechanism to either adjust the position of the slide or operate the slide for post driving purposes.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the post driving attachment made in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the post driving attachment.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view with parts broken away of the post driving attachment as seen from the side thereof opposite the side illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view with parts broken away showing a part of the post driving attachment.

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional view showing the brake mechanism for the post driving attachment.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be observed in FIGURE 1 that the post driving attachment generally indicated by reference numeral is mounted on the front of a tractor type vehicle 12. As shown in FIG- URE 1, the post driving attachment is positioned and ready for use in order to drive a post 14 into the ground 16.

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It will be observed that in FIGURE 1, the attachment 10 is supported on the tractor vehicle 12 by means of a frame assembly generally indicated by reference numeral 18, said frame assembly 18 having attached thereto in front thereof a guide frame assembly generally indicated by reference numeral 20. As seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 the frame assembly 18 includes a lower frame assembly 20 and an upper frame assembly 22. The guide frame assembly 26 which comprises a pair of tubular post members 24 and 26 interconnected by a top member 28 is attached to the top of the top frame assembly 22. The post members 24 and 26 are spaced from each other adjacent the bottom thereof by means of a spacer member 36 as seen in FIGURE 2, while a pair of anchoring rods 32 and 34 are slidable within the tubular post members 24 and 26 at the lower ends thereof for engagement with the ground. The lower ends of the anchoring members 32 and 34 are interconnected by a rod member 36 which is in turn connected to a hook member 38. Accordingly, the anchoring members may be raised upwardly into the tubular members 24 and 26 and held in such retracted position out of engagement with the ground by means of the hook member engaging an eye bolt 40 secured to the bottom of the lower frame assembly 20. Additional retaining hook means may be provided for the post members 24 and 26.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 4 in particular, it will be observed that a slide member 42 having a substantial mass or weight is slidably mounted upon the tubular post members 24 and 26 by means of sleeves 44, 46, 48 and 50 which are slidably disposed on the tubular post members 24 and 26. A post engaging plate 52 is attached to the slide member 42 adjacent the upper end thereof and is reinforced or braced by means of rib 54. A bolt member 56 is slidably mounted on the rear of the slide member 42 by means of sleeve 58 and is yieldably positioned by means of a spring 60 connected to the lower end of the bolt member 56 and to a lug 62 mounted on the slide member 42. A spring 64 is also disposed on the bolt member 56 and is positioned between the head of the bolt member and the top of the sleeve 58 as will be apparent in FIGURE 4.

In FIGURE 4, it will be observed that a cable 66 is pivotally connected to the lower end of bolt member 56 so that the cable 66 may be yieldably connected to the slide member 42 thereby. The cable 66 is trained over an idler pulley 68 which is ro-tatably mounted adjacent the upper end of the upper frame assembly 22 while the other end of the cable is attached to and wound upon a cable winding drum 70. An idler pulley 72 as seen in FIGURE 4 is engaged with the cable 66 for the purpose of moving the cable downwardly or upwardly in order to raise or drop the slide member 42. The idler pulley 72 is mounted on a lever member 74 which is pivotally mounted on the lower frame assembly 20 by means of pivot connection 76 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 4.

In order to actuate the lever member 74 and thereby raise or drop the slide member 42 by means of the cable 66, a follower element 78 is mounted on the lever member 74 and is engageable by a cam member 80 which has an abrupt terminal surface 82 by virtue of which the follower element 78 and the lever 74 may be suddenly released so as to release the cable 66 engaged with the pulley 72 on the follower lever member 74 in order to permit the slide member 42 to drop on top of the post 14 to drive it into the ground. Accordingly, the cam member 80 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 4. a

The cam member 80 is fixed to a camshaft 84 to which a large pulley wheel 86 is connected its will be seen in FIGURES 4 and 2. The cable winding drum on the other hand, is rotatably mounted on the lower frame assembly 2i? by means of supporting bracket member 88 and is drivingly connected to a separate shaft 90 on the other side of the post driving attachment from the shaft 84. The driving connection between the shaft 90 and the cable winding drum 7ft includes a sprocket wheel 92 fixed to the drum shaft 94 and a sprocket chain 96 which is trained about the sprocket wheel 92 and about a sprocket wheel 93 fixed to shaft 96 as will be more clearly seen in FIGURE 3. A large pulley wheel ltli) is connected to the shaft 90. It will therefore be apparent that separate drive mechanisms are provided for driving the cam member through the large pulley wheel 36 which is connected to the cam member by means of shaft 84 and for rotating the drum 70 by means of large pulley wheel 100 which is drivingly connected to the cable winding drum 7 G by means of sprocket chain 96.

Referring first to FIGURE 4, it will be observed that the pulley wheel 86 has a belt 162 trained thereabout the lower end of which is trained about a drive pulley wheel 1&4 which is fixed to a drive shaft 106. The drive shaft is rotatably mounted by means of bearing brackets on the lower frame members of the lower frame assembly 20. Referring now to FIGURE 3, it will be observed that the pulley wheel 190 has a belt 198 trained there about the lower end of which is trained about a drive pulley wheel 110 which is also fixed to the same drive shaft 195. The drive shaft 1% carries a sprocket wheel 112 which is driven by a sprocket chain 114 from a sprocket wheel 116 fixed to a shaft 118 rotatably mounted within the lower frame assembly 29. Connected to the sprocket shaft 118 is an input pulley wheel 12% from which the power for the post driving attachment device is derived. As will be seen in FIGURE 1, a belt 122 is shown trained about the input pulley wheel 120, said belt being connected to any suitable motive power source on the tractor in a manner well known in the art.

It will be observed in FIGURES 3 and 4, that the belt drive connections from the drive shaft pulleys 110 and 104 to the driven pulley wheels 106 and 86 respectively are maintained under driving tension by means of a pair of belt tighteners. In FIGURE 4 for example, the belt 102 is maintained under proper tension by means of an idler pulley 124 which is pivotally mounted on the lower frame assembly 20 by means of lever member 126 which is connected to an actuating arm 128. Similarly the belt tightener for belt 163 in FIGURE 3, includes an idler pulley 13% which is mounted on a pivot arm 132 to which the actuating arm 134- is connected. It will therefore be appreciated that the drive from the drive shaft 106 to each of the pulleys 86 and 100 respectively drivingly connected to the cam mechanism and the cable winding drum, may be disengaged by actuation of the control arms 128 and 134 which may be actuated to release the tension from the belts 102 and 108 in order to disengage the belt drive. Accordingly, the operator by manipulating either control arm 128 or 134 may either power the cam mechanism for raising and dropping the slide member on the post periodically or operate the cable winding drum mechanism for changing the position of the slide member on the slide frame assembly 20 so as to accommodate the changing height of the post 14.

It will be observed that when the position of the slide member 42 is adjusted the control arm 134 will be actuated in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 3 in order to release the tension on the belt 108 so as to disengage the drive through the cable winding drum 70. Accordingly it will be necessary to also positively hold the cable winding drum stationary during the raising and dropping operation effected by the cam mechanism. Therefore a brake mechanism generally indicated by reference numeral 136 is provided and connected to the shaft 90 in order to hold it stationary when the drive belt 168 has been disengaged by releasing the tension thereon by means of counterclockwise movement of control arm 132 as viewed in FIGURE 1. The brake mech-.

anism 136 includes a brake drum 133 as shown in FIG- URES 1, 2 and 5. A brake strap member 14'!) is anchored to the frame assembly 20 at anchor point 142 as seen in FIGURES 1 and 3 while the other end of the strap member 140 which is trained about the brake drum 138 is pivotally connected to a lever element 144 pivotally mounted on the frame assembly. A brake control lever 146 is connected to the lever element 144 so as to tighten or loosen the brake strap 149 in order to brake the drum 138 and hold the shaft 9% stationary. it will therefore be appreciated, that when shaft W3 is held stationary by the brake mechanism 136 the cable drum '70 will also be held stationary by virtue of the sprocket chain connection 96 therebetween.

From the foregoing description operation of the post driving attachment will become apparent. In order to operate the post driving device, the vehicle 12 is moved to the appropriate location as illustrated in FIGURE 1 and the anchcoring members 32 and 34 released from the frame by releasing the hook member 38 from the eye 40 so that the anchoring members engage the earth to anchor the device 16. Assuming now that the pulley wheel 120 is powered from the power take-off on the tractor vehicle 12, the control arm 134 is actuated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 3 in order to tighten the belt ltiS so that the drive from drive shaft 106 is transmitted to the pulley 1% which in turn drives the cable winding drum in one direction in order to either wind the cable thereon or reel out the cable as to raise or lower the slide member 42 on the slide frame assembly 20 in order to bring the slide member in a proper position for driving the post 14 into the ground. It will be appreciated at this point, that the raising or lowering of the slide by actuation of the cable winding drum may be effected either by reverse rotation of the input pulley 124) or by engaging the belt drive 108 for rotation of the cable drum 7% in a direction in order to raise the slide 42 While in the other direction the belt drive 108 may be released as well as the brake mechanism 136 so as to permit the weighted slide member 42 to lower to a position at which time the brake mechanism 136 is applied in order to hold the cable drum 70 stationary and the slide 42 at the adjusted position. The slide 42 having been so adjusted with the brake mechanism 136 applied and the belt drive 1% released, the control arm 128 is then actuated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 4 in order to tension and engage the belt drive 102 so as to effect rotation of the cam whereupon the cable 66 is engaged by the follower lever member 74 through the pulley 72 to periodically raise and drop the slide member to its adjusted position. The post 14 is accordingly driven into the ground in response to the impact of the slide member plate 52 as the slide member is dropped. It will be observed that the cable 65 is connected to the slide member through the yieldable lost motion connection which includes the bolt member 56 and springs 60 and 64, so that snapping of the cable 66 will be prevented when the slide member 42 is dropped, the springs being provided in order to take the shock.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention as claimedv What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a post driver, the combination of a vehicle mounted frame, a pair of transversely spaced vertical tubular guides supported by said frame, a set of sleeves slidable on said guides, a slide carried by said sleeves, a power driven shaft journalled in said frame, first and second drive pulleys secured to said power driven shaft, first and second driven shafts journalled in said frame in spaced relation from the power driven shaft, first and second driven pulleys secured to the respective first and second driven shafts, a winch carried by said frame and operatively connected to the first driven shaft, said winch including a cable having an outer end connected to said slide, brake means for said winch, cam actuated means connected to the second driven shaft and operatively engaging an intermediate portion of said cable for alternately raising and lowering said slide, first and second belts passing around the respective first and second drive pulleys and the respective first and second driven pulleys, and independently operable first and second means for selectively tensioning and slackening the respective first and second belts.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with a pair of ground anchoring prongs slidable in the lower end portions of said tubular guides and projectable downwardly therefrom.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 together with a pair of ground anchoring prongs slidable in the lower end portions of said tubular guides and projectable downwardly therefrom, and means for releasably locking said prongs in their upwardly retracted position.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 together with a vertical bearing provided on said slide, a pin slidable in said bearing, a head at the upper end of said pin, a compression spring provided on the pin between said bearing and said head, and a vertical tension spring connected at its upper end to the lower end of said pin and anchored at its lower end to said slide, the outer end of said cable being connected to said pin.

5. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for releasably locking said prongs in their upwardly retracted position comprises a hook member attached to each of said prongs, and an eye member mounted on said frame adapted to receive said book when said prongs are in their upwardly retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 369,339 Irnler Sept. 6, 1887 1,307,590 Mackie June 24, 1919 2,045,220 Dietle June 23, 1936 2,046,323 De Wolfe July 7, 1936 2,122,686 Gaty July 5, 1938 2,776,110 Hoistad Jan. 1, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 133,483 Germany Sept. 10, 1902 

1. IN A POST DRIVER, THE COMBINATION OF A VEHICLE MOUNTED FRAME, A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY SPACED VERTICAL TUBULAR GUIDES SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME, A SET OF SLEEVES SLIDABLE ON SAID GUIDES, A SLIDE CARRIED BY SAID SLEEVES, A POWER DRIVEN SHAFT JOURNALLED IN SAID FRAME, FIRST AND SECOND DRIVE PULLEYS SECURED TO SAID POWER DRIVEN SHAFT, FIRST AND SECOND DRIVEN SHAFTS JOURNALLED IN SAID FRAME IN SPACED RELATION FROM THE POWER DRIVEN SHAFT, FIRST AND SECOND DRIVEN PULLEYS SECURED TO THE RESPECTIVE FIRST AND SECOND DRIVEN SHAFTS, A WINCH CARRIED BY SAID FRAME AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE FIRST DRIVEN SHAFT, SAID WINCH INCLUDING A CABLE HAVING AN OUTER END CONNECTED TO SAID SLIDE, BRAKE MEANS FOR SAID WINCH, CAM ACTUATED MEANS CONNECTED TO THE SECOND DRIVEN SHAFT AND OPERATIVELY ENGAGING AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID CABLE FOR ALTERNATELY RAISING AND LOWERING SAID SLIDE, FIRST AND SECOND BELTS PASSING AROUND THE RESPECTIVE FIRST AND SECOND DRIVE PULLEYS AND THE RESPECTIVE FIRST AND SECOND DRIVEN PULLEYS, AND INDEPENDENTLY OPERABLE FIRST AND SECOND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY TENSIONING AND SLACKENING THE RESPECTIVE FIRST AND SECOND BELTS. 